SquallStrife wrote:The only reason the industry goes where it does is because of market demand.
Unfortunately, that's not always the case. Many users left with no choice but moving to newer Windows version, because many PC vendors (especially laptop vendors) do not provide drivers for previous version anymore. So this is the case where the industry drives the market through sheer power - monopolistic or otherwise - instead of industry listening to what consumer want.
I still remember buying new laptop for my mother, and we went to Lenovo because they still had a lot of models with Windows XP drivers, so she can use Windows XP on her new laptop. And it happened during mid-2012.
She is reluctant to use Windows 7 because she doesn't want to re-learn Office 2007 interface. She's been using MS Office since Office 97, and she's been moving to Office XP to Office 2003 without problems. Yet, Office 2007 interface confuses her to hell.
(and to be frank, Office 2007 interface confuses me to hell too.)
Is there really demand for Office 2007 interface? Do the consumers really want to re-learn a radically different interface? I really doubt so. This video is an example of user's struggle to do things on the new Office - the same things they used to do easily on the previous Office versions.
To be fair, newer Windows versions have their own advantages - better multithreading support, larger RAM support, etcetera. But can they just improve the insides without breaking the interface? At least Windows 7 doesn't require much re-learning (except the Office part), but Windows 8 is just plain ridiculous.
Using car analogy, I believe there is demand for better, more fuel-efficient engines. But is there really demand for radical changes in dashboard and steering wheel that requires the driver to retake the driving license test? Is there demand for new gearstick placement that actually makes us harder to drive?
Let's take a look at DRM for a different example. Is there really market demand for DRM? Did EA shove DRM into SimCity because the consumers want it? That should be another example that the industry isn't necessarily driven by demands. Sometimes - and probably most of the time, if they have sufficient power - they just shove unwanted features into the market because they believe it would maximize their profit. Of course, backlash happens sometimes. Whether the backlash is strong enough to teach the industry a lesson is another thing.
SquallStrife wrote:There is demand for tablets and smartphones, the industry is only responding to that.
Of course there is, but is there demand for tablet interface on desktop? Touch screen for productivity application?
Anyway, while we're at it, how to upload PDF into Vogons Drivers? There is a "manual" section, but Vogons Drivers refuses PDF upload. 😉
Never thought this thread would be that long, but now, for something different.....
Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman.